Tears of the Sky (Rewrite)
by Simple.Sin
Summary: After avenging those responsible for his guardians' deaths, Tsuna is transported to an alternate universe to preserve the harmony of the Tri-Ni-Set. He is the shadow of the man he once was but perhaps, a second chance would allow him to find happiness. Rewrite of Tears of the Sky. Strong!Tsuna, Teacher!Tsuna, and Double!Tsuna
1. Prologue

Hi everyone!

I apologize for my six-year hiatus and I want to thank everyone for their continued support. The main reason why I abandoned this story for so long was because of how I changed as a person. It became more and more difficult to write as I realized how much my writing style had changed, and how childish this story paled in comparison. This is not to offend anyone who enjoyed the original Tears of the Sky, but simply to express how I could not bring myself to give you what I saw as a half-assed effort.

KHR will forever be one of my favourites, and to do it justice, I wanted to explore the storyline with a greater depth and maturity.

Therefore, I decided to re-write this fanfiction in hopes of producing a piece that I would be proud of. It is my hope that in giving my absolute best to this, that you would become enthralled in the message that this story carries.

We will be visiting graphic violence, death, and mature themes to bridge the world of KHR with the ugly world of organized crime.

* * *

There was not a single speck of blue in the ominous grey that loomed the skies on New Namimori. Though it was the middle of the day, the air carried an awful, bone-chilling silence that echoed throughout the city. Many years ago, Namimori would have been a beacon of hope and peace to its inhabitants; today, it held little but a wasteland of broken dreams. A figure clad in black closed his eyes and mused over the long forgotten memories.

He remembered the sun warming his back and the weight of an arm thrown over his shoulders, shaking his frame as laughter rang out into the air. Specks of light cascaded through the memory, iridescent and intoxicating in its sheer enthralment. Even the rough indignation of a hot-headed teenager could not disrupt the peaceful harmony that these memories were drowned in.

He could taste it now - the smell of a home cooked meal and gun powder. Warmth — a feeling so foreign to his wearied body — blossomed in his chest and left as quickly as it came, leaving an aching emptiness. It left a bitter taste in his mouth as he licked his lips, dry and blue in the cold, damp air.

The man let out a shaky breath and faced the abyss above. Not even the skies gave him their benedictions today. How fitting, a foreshadow of how it would all end. He breathed in deeply, finding his resolve and steadying the shivers that racked down his spine.

Cold eyes that colour of liquid amber scanned the perimeter. Tall buildings protruded from shattered concrete like shards of broken glass on skin. He stepped off from an overturned piece of concrete and landed gracefully on the grand, surveying the ruins of what was once known to be a thriving, metropolitan city. The small town had become a bustling city once Vongola established the headquarters of its Japanese branch there, opening new opportunities for trade and employment. For all that it was worth, the fruits of their labor now lay scattered.

He nimbly avoided the tangled webs of frayed wires from the toppled utility poles, heading towards the source of chaos. The ground vibrated with the weight of heavy artillery and vehicles camped in the distance. There was no mistaking the timely pulse of the spinning blades of a helicopter, and if he deduced correctly, there were three just ahead. Even in the silence, he could feel the heaviness of apprehension and dread. It was a fitting soundtrack to make an entrance in.

Purposefully adding weight to his steps, the clickety-clack of heels hitting pavement stilled the bustle of activity as he unveiled himself from the shadows of a deserted high rise and stepped into the clearing. He recognized the space as what was known as New Namimori's Times Square. It was abandoned, save for a few broken-down cars here and there that were never claimed by their now deceased owners. The pride and centrepiece of the square, a large billboard that wrapped around the block, adorned a fracture across its screen. Static emanated from it and the screen flashed on and off, still hooked up to its source of power.

In front of him stood an expanse of armed men and though they stood united, he could recognize five distinct fractions among them – Gambino, Yamaguchi-Gumi, Sun Yee On, Lazovsky, and the Tijuana cartel. It would have been a beautiful symbol of political unity and syndicate bureaucracy had it not been for the dire circumstance they unified under. The ground force stood rigid in their gear, dressed from head to toe in bulletproof armour and equipped to the teeth with firearms, ammunition, and what appeared to be explosives on their harnesses. Four armoured fighting vehicles were positioned behind the grunts and the powerful rounds of helicopter blades battered the air around them, causing the man's spiky, caramel locks to dance wildly from the force.

"So it has come to this, Vongola Decimo. Or should I say, the Demon of Vongola?"

Among the five figures that stood at the centre of it all, the gruff voice belonged to the boss of the Gambino famgilia. Each of the figures exuded authority and strength, though it was obvious who the ringleader was.

Tsuna gave the words little heed, staring blankly at the group in front of him. Though quiet, his voice carried across the clearing with little effort.

"You would have known this was coming."

Irritation bubbled up in Sun Yee On's Dragon Head. He spoke fervently, a Chinese accent filtering through in its urgency.

"You gave us no choice! What else are we to do when you've systematically burned down every other organization in the underworld? If we hadn't banded together to protect ourselves, you would have just hunted us down in our homelands!"

A chuckle answered his outburst. Tsuna regarded them with a crazed glint of amusement, like a viper toying with a mouse. He tilted his head and flashed an eerie smile, confirming the Dragon Head's claim.

"You are crazy. Absolutely crazy!"

The leader of the Mexican Tijuana cartel continued to sputter profanities, no doubt out of fear rather than aggression, while the Head of the Yamaguchi-Gumi regarded Tsuna with sadness.

"What has become of you, Tsunayoshi? What happened to your honor?"

No words came from Lazovsky's pakhan, but his solemn nod towards Gambino said it all.

Tsuna became astutely aware of sniper rifles being pointed at him from different vantage points surrounding the area. Chunks of concrete exploded from his former position, no doubt a fatal shot, and at a speed faster than the eye could see, he pulled out his own arsenal from underneath his trench coat as he leapt up towards the side of a building. Retaliating shot for shot, he began taking down the snipers quicker than they could reload.

He was aware of the exclamations below and dropped down to deal with the battering waves of gunfire that followed.

* * *

Viktor cursed his luck as he stood stiffly behind his superiors, rifle raised in anticipation for their dreaded nemesis to appear. Why was he a part of the upcoming bloodbath, pray tell? He was a classic case of "wrong place, wrong time."

A month ago, he had the ingenious idea of joining the mafia group, Lazovsky, without first doing his research on their current standing. He was an uneducated, mountain hick that made his way to the city in hopes of big opportunities. What better way to do so than joining the mafia right? His lack of common sensibility thrice be damned.

How could he have known there was a monster eradicating every active criminal syndicate in the world? He knew his fate was sealed when they shoved a rifle in his arms and told him he would be fighting for his life amongst the last five mafia groups standing. Just perfect.

He spent the rest of the month cramped in a bunker with a mash up of the mafia's take on a hastily put together United Nations, with all sorts of people breathing down his neck and having their noses up his ass. There wasn't enough beds or showers to accommodate everyone, so they were forced to share. He caught a wary glance from the side and recognized it to be Diego, a young, stout member of the Tijuana cartel.

Upon catching his eye, he proceeded to stick his tongue out at Viktor. He felt his blood boil as he remembered all the times this damn boy kicked him in his sleep. He whispered as loud as he could without alerting his leader, "I pray to Triglav today that you will suffer a painful death!" At this point, he didn't even care that his Russian accent was coming out stronger than usual.

He felt someone brush against his shoulder and sent a glare towards his right. He shoved right back and hissed, "Stop touching me!"

It was a member of Yamaguchi-Gumi. The tall, Japanese man merely rolled his eyes and gave him a look that said, "We're all marching to our deaths and the only thing you care about right now is your personal space?"

The coalition of their various mafias and mobs was a shaky one, put together by desperation and only that. It was a miracle that no one had died yet.

His pakhan raised a hand, quieting the aggravation before it could escalate. Everyone was on edge and dissension among their ranks would not help the situation. His next words, spoken with true authority, commanded attention.

"Have you all prepared your wills?" Grim nods were the responses he was expecting. The pakhan sighed, running a hand through his golden locks tired resignation.

"Many of you have already realized that we are walking into a losing battle. All the stories you have heard about this man are true. In these last moments, I ask that you all remain strong and united. Division amongst us will not help our situation. Instead, may we fight and die in unity today."

At this, the other mobs quieted and listened in as well.

"We are the last of our kind, gathered here to leave our final legacy. Had we not decided to come together, our common enemy would have hunted us down in our very homes. He would have slaughtered us in front of our families, our friends…" His voice quivered with emotions, no doubt from experience. "There is no longer a shred of humanity left in this demon. I have seen him destroy cities and innocent citizens to flush out his targets."

The sound of fists clenching echoed the legitimacy of the claim.

"I am not telling you to win today; this is an informed act of suicide. However, we are mafia! If you have any pride as men, you will die with us in honour today! Our blood will mark the end of an era and through our sacrifice, the monster will be put to sleep." He paused, surveying the eyes that echoed the determination in his voice. "To death!"

A somber sense of pride and dignity now reinforced the spines of the men. They stood taller and bolder. However, that immediately stilled as the approaching echo of sharp footsteps made their way towards them. Viktor's knuckles went white as he clutched his rifle, preparing for the inevitable. Their leaders took one last glance at each other before stepping forward to engage their oncoming death.

At first, Viktor was struck with incredulity. The demon, the one that caused their men to shake and quiver at the sound of his name, was no larger than a teenage boy. A long, black trench coat hung from his angular frame but his eyes… Viktor repressed a shiver. Those were no eyes of a boy – no, he doubted they were even human.

It appeared that some dialogue was exchanged, at least from what he could catch snippets of, before the cue from his pakhan signalled the beginning of their plan. The snipers, camping above on high points of the buildings that still stood partially intact, began firing at the man. However, once the dust cleared there were only empty gouges on the ground and soon, rapid gunfire was heard as their snipers fell from their positions like flies. A few landed directly on their infantry and the morale of the men quickly dropped in their fear. At this point, they returned gunfire wildly and Viktor could barely hear the command of Gambino's boss.

"Stage One, don't allow him to engage us in close-hand combat! Keep him at bay at all costs! I repeat, avoid close-hand combat at all costs!"

Their tanks and helicopters then began firing, taking off massive chunks of building as they missed their target. It appeared that the man had a complete arsenal of long range and large calibre guns, if the speed at which he mowed down their numbers even from afar hinted any indication. Men were falling dead around them with bullet holes in their jugular, the weakest point in their armour. It was no surprise when a helicopter was sent crashing through an abandoned telecommunications tower. The smoke provided the cover he was looking for and for several minutes, they were reduced to shooting at shadows and air.

If this was what he was capable long-range, they would not dare imagine what he would be like up close. A piercing voice rang from in front of him, static muffling its overtones from the frequency.

"Boss! He's inside one of the copters. Our communication from them just got cut off - oh god! "

The hijacked helicopter was sent crashing towards the other and together, they fell like shooting stars directly onto a tank. It burst in combustion and the smell of burning flesh and fuel engulfed the air. It was a terrible, unearthly smell that would forever haunt him should he survive.

"Fall back! Take cover behind the tanks and put distance between yourselves!"

They barely had time to do so before a tank was overturned, tumbling several feet and crushing men as it did so from a line of orange flames.

From behind a pillar of smoke and fire, the demon Tsunayoshi emerged with fire raging from his fists as he approached them, clothes singed in ash and looking every bit like the devil he was. An inhuman, sinister laugh rang through the air despite the sounds of continuous gun fire.

Viktor was pushed to the side by shoulders moving ahead of him and recognized the Elite Force making their way in front of the grunts. They were flame users, tasked with the final stage of their plans. If anyone had a chance of taking down Vongola Decimo, it would be them.

"Stage two, provide backup for the Elite Force!"

Though they looked formidable in their advanced robotic suits, Viktor could feel the waves of fear lay behind the facade. They too, doubted their chance of survival even in their numbers. The mid-sized group activated their multi-colored flames and charged.

The last thing Viktor could remember was a massive wall of orange flame surrounding the army before he blacked out.

Viktor opened his eyes to see a world burning. The ringing in his ear hadn't stopped and he was acutely aware of the blood that was bubbling up with every breath he took. Warm, metallic liquid was pooling from his ears, mouth, and nose and the coughs that racked his body only encouraged the flow.

Strangely, he could not feel any pain despite remembering the fire that surrounded him. From a glance at his body, he could now understand why.

He legs had been burned to a dark, blackened mush and the arms and torso he still retained were covered in grotesque boils, no doubt from third degree burns. His nerves must have been burned off. That, or his adrenaline hadn't recognized the pain, which he was grateful.

A wail escaped from his lips as primal fear entered his mind. It hit him with overwhelming awareness – he was going to die.

Before he could despair further, a scream caught his attention and he looked towards its source. Amidst bodies splayed across the ground like flowers on a grave, stood Gambino's boss and Vongola Decimo.

The former was on his last leg, blood pouring from a gaping hole on his side as he pathetically tried to hold his innards in place with one arm. A gun was raised with his other hand and Viktor recognized it as one with the ability to infuse flames in its bullets.

Tsunayoshi, on the other hand, looked like a dead man walking. He was swaying as he stood and one of his arms appeared to have been blown off. A thin trail of skin and tissue was all that remained, swinging slightly with each movement he made. The colour of his skin had gone ashy and burns covered the exposed parts of his body.

He wished he could have seen how the battle ended but he was just so tired. Deciding just to rest his eyes for a bit, Viktor drifted off to an endless slumber. The last thing he heard was a gun shot and a body hitting the ground.

* * *

Tsuna stared at the man's larynx that he had ripped from his throat before looking down to the rapidly spreading spot on his chest.

Rain began to pour as he dropped down to his knees, strength leaving his entire body once silence pervaded the air and the sounds of battle stalled to a stop.

It was over. Finally, it was all over.

You would think that after carrying out the revenge you so sought after, that there would be a sense of release or accomplishment. Tsuna soon found it was not the case. If anything, it brought about a greater sense of hollowness than before.

Now that he did what he had to do, there was no longer any reason for Tsunayoshi Sawada to exist. He crumbled to the floor and with his last remaining strength, turned over to face the stormy clouds above. It was as if the skies were mourning over him, the last reminder of Vongola and the mafia world.

"It's been so lonely without you all. I… I know this wouldn't have been what you wanted for me," his voice cracked and the words got stuck in his throat, "but I didn't know what else to do. It just hurt so much and all I wanted was to be forgiven."

He stretched a hand out to the heavens, reaching for something he already knew was unattainable. They shook as he struggled to stay conscious.

"Please… please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone." Tears streamed down his face and a broken, quiet sob sent a wave of pain throughout his body. "When did things get so wrong? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me… I don't want to be alone. Please…"

The words became incomprehensible. Rain continued to fall heavily, drowning the sounds of weakening sobs.

It was cold. It was just so damn cold.

* * *

"I cannot allow you to do this! With everything he has gone through, he deserves to rest in peace. He hasn't had a moment since his friends died and now, you want to through him into this without any sense of closure?"

"Though I see the merit in your plan, I agree with Giotto's point of his sanity, Sepira. He is the strongest Tsunayoshi of all the parallel universes and this would remove the need for the Arcobaleno curse, but I am hesitant with the idea of such an unstable person holding that much power. What if we replaced his memories?

"We are not replacing anyone's memories, Kawahira. Doing that would be cruel and take away everything that makes him who he is. In many ways, what we're doing is more for him than it is for us. I have faith in Tsunayoshi Sawada, but if it gives you peace of mind, we can seal off half of the power he would inherit from the Tri-Ni-Set.

"It's not cruel that we would ask so much of him then? I don't like this idea, Sepira, but I know we don't have much of a choice. Just… let me be the one who speaks to them."

"Very well."

A hand touched Tsuna's forehead and he opened his eyed tiredly, looking up at the one who had awoken him.

"Primo… where am I? What happened?" He tried to stand up or look around but his body felt like it was made of adamantine. The scenery was unclear, shifting and contracting in different hues of grey. If he wasn't already lying down, it would have been enough to make him dizzy.

Giotta smiled sadly and parted Tsuna's bangs, "You died, after taking down the last of the remaining Mafioso with you." He caressed his cheek and looked lovingly into his successor's eyes, much like a father would to a son.

Realization hit Tsuna as the memories came surfacing of his last few hours of life. "Ahh… I see. I-I'm sorry that you had to see that." He gulped, pulling away from Primo's hand. "Why are you here then? And who was that talking to you?"

The older of the two chuckled and shifted back from where he was sitting, plopping down beside Tsuna in a relaxed heap. The ground beneath them changed into long blades of grass and suddenly, a bright expanse of sky appeared in their horizon. Rays of sunlight filled him with warmth and he could see a field of flowers growing around them. In the distance, he could hear the faint sounds of children laughing.

"When I was a child, I would often come here after my lessons to avoid doing chores. We kept a few animals in the barns and if I asked nicely, my bambinaia would let me help the stable boys with the horses. That's how I met G!" Giotto smiled warmly and closed his eyes. "If I could, I wish I could live in this memory forever."

Tsuna hummed in agreement, in awe of the beauty that flooded his senses. A delicate ivory butterfly landed on his shoulder; seeing a bright blue one approaching, he extended a hand and let it rest on his forefinger.

"The female voice you heard was Sepira's and the male voice, Kawahira's. You might know him better as Checkerface. They were the ones entrusted with maintaining the order of the Tri-Ni-Set as the last members of their species. The reason I'm here… and the reason for that conversation you overheard is that we are forced to act upon our last resort."

Giotto knew that his hyper intuition would pick up the hidden meaning in his words, so he was not surprised when Tsuna tensed beside him. "What will become of me?"

"After restoring order to the world and overcoming the many trials in your lifetime, you succeeded in becoming the strongest Tsunayoshi Sawada across the multiple dimensions that exist. There has never been and there never will be a Vongola boss as powerful as you. When you died, it created an imbalance in the universe because of how much your timeline tied in with the others. Your life is a cornerstone for other timelines to exist and in your absence, we fear the collapse of several dimensions. We have no other option than ensuring that you exist."

"You call me the strongest… and yet everyone around me still died," Tsuna's voice was barely a whisper. "Is this my punishment then? To return to the world I destroyed and have all my escape routes collapsed?"

An arm clasped his and turned him to his side where he found Giotto's warm, golden eyes peering back into his own.

"We're sending you to another universe. Think of this as a second chance, Tsuna. If you're the strongest Tsunayoshi, we're sending you to be with the kindest Tsunayoshi. Sepira thinks it will be good for you and she's never been wrong before."

They stayed like that for a while, just in comfortable silence before Tsuna spoke, his lower lip quivering. "I'm scared. I don't know how to live or function now that… everything's over. I just… I want to stay here with you."

Giotto pressed his forehead against his young successor's. The warmth shared between them was mutual.

"I will always be with you. You did your best and I couldn't be more proud. I'm so sorry to ask so much of you… but I want you to take this opportunity to start a new chapter and heal. Can you promise me that you'll try?"

His voice was so kind and understanding that Tsuna's façade crumbled. Ugly tears ran down his cheeks and his face scrunched up in an attempt to nod in composure.

"Thank you."

When Tsuna opened his eyes again, the warmth was gone and he could do nothing but fall into the darkness that clouded his vision.

He was falling. Before he lost consciousness again, he remembered feeling cold.

* * *

 **End Notes**

Translations:

 _pakhan_ \- mafia boss (Russian)

 _bambinaia_ \- nanny (Italian)

 _Triglav_ \- deity in Slavic mythology that represented sky, earth, and the underworld

I would like to credit: www. zerochan 1399800 for the artwork used in this story


	2. The Worst Day Ever

**A/N:** Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I was surprised with the amount of positive feedback. Some of you expressed concern with me dropping this story, but I would like to reassure you that I plan on continuing and finishing this. I find that connecting with my readers keep me centred; getting to know each of you and how this story has impacted you has definitely reminded me to keep writing!

I'm very aware that there are many story plots similar to this, but the focus of this story will primarily be a psychological analysis of Tsuna and his potential, whether it be for good or bad. Though this will be Strong!Tsuna, I have no desire in making him into an OP character or a Gary Sue badass. He is still fundamentally all that Tsuna encompasses, though the decisions and circumstances he has been through has shaped him. In doing this, I hope to create a complex and multi-dimensional view on Tsuna as he was meant to be portrayed. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Tsuna awoke to the smell of brewed tea and pastries. He blinked his eyes a few times to shake off the disorientation and attempted to stand, which was met with soreness, to his dismay. It felt like he was hit by a truck. Tsuna put his weight on his forearms to pull himself up and dully noted the crunch of white lilies beneath him. A shot of pollen went up his nose and he resisted the urge to sneeze. _Did he land on someone's flowerbed?_

"Ah, Tsunayoshi-san!"

 _That voice… it sounded familiar_. He turned his head and met Yuni's warm gaze. The tone and gentleness reminded him of the woman's voice he heard; Giotto called her Sepira, if he could recall correctly. Beams of light framed Yuni's face and it softened her features in a way that was undeniably ethereal.

Yuni was seated at a round table with a three-tier tray featuring an assortment of cakes, macarons, sandwiches, and tarts. Given the circumstances, he was not surprised to see Byakuran sitting across from her and Gamma pouring tea for the both of them. The same light and warmth danced around them, making the scene look like something from Heaven itself. He felt oddly out of place.

"You're finally awake, Tsunayoshi. Come have afternoon tea with us!" Byakuran flashed him his signature smile and dragged out the syllables in his name as if he were tasting fine wine.

After a moment of silence that would have made any normal person uncomfortable, Tsuna lifted himself to his feet and headed to the empty chair that was pulled out for him. There was little that could make Byakuran feel awkward, being the eccentric person he was, and he had gotten used to exercising patience when it came to Shoichi. He knew better than to rush someone who was on the edge of fleeing. The man in question sat across from Byakuran, beside Yuni, and seemed particularly invested in one specific spot on the table. He didn't move until Yuni peered up at him with round eyes.

"Sepira told me we were expecting a special guest, but I had no idea you make such an entrance!" Yuni giggled and place a few pastries onto Tsuna's plate with enthusiasm.

He nodded stiffly in gratitude and tried to make sense of her words. _My entrance? What -?_ It was then that he realized they were in a conservatory. Rays of sunlight shone through the glass roof and a beautiful array of florae was displayed around them. There was two things, however, that was out of place: a human sized space on the glass roof and shards of glass directly underneath it. _The exact place he got up from._

Tsuna sighed in realization. He never asked for his life to be so absurd.

"I… apologize for my rude intrusion." Tsuna scratched his head and felt the blood go to his ears. "I wasn't aware I would be _dropped_ from the sky in such a manner." He mentally cursed the universe and hoped a certain blond man would hear his indignation.

The dark scowl on his face induced a chuckle from Byakuran. "You are so unlike all the other versions of yourself I have encountered. Of course, this will prove all the more interesting. I hope you find whatever it is that you're looking for!" He plopped a small piece of strawberry cake into his mouth and licked his fingers. "We're rooting for you, Tsu-kun~"

Tsuna continued to stare at the forgotten food on his plate. He didn't have much of an appetite these days. Gamma turned to pour tea into his cup and he shook his head politely.

"I appreciate it… I guess," he began hesitantly, "To be honest, all of this doesn't feel real to me. Seeing you both alive… it feels as though I'm dreaming. Or maybe I've gone crazy and you're just a hallucination."

He felt a small hand on his shoulder but he couldn't find the courage to look up from where his head was bowed in shame. Seeing those warm, welcoming eyes would break him.

"We are as real as you are. I know it will take some time, but give this a chance!" Yuni begged earnestly, "No matter how little you think of yourself, I believe in the Tsunayoshi that saved the universe. Sepira told me that you're special. If it's you, then I know everything will be okay!

A bitter laugh escaped his lips before he could hold it back. "Perhaps you're speaking to the wrong Tsunayoshi. I'm not —I'm not who you think I am. No, everything that was Tsuna died in the world I left behind."

"Then who are you?" Yuni tilted her head and regarded him with confusion.

"I am nobody," came the reply.

"Well, Mr. Nobody," Yuni responded playfully, "maybe you aren't the same Tsunayoshi we know and maybe, you don't have to be. Whoever you may or may not be, we love you all the same. But if we can't call you Tsuna, what should we call you?

"Call me… Noctis. All I am is a shadow and fragment of who Tsuna was. This is only fitting." Pain washed over him in another wave and he began to shrink into himself. _That's right, I don't deserve to be Tsuna in a world that already has one._

Arms wrapped around him and he felt the trickle of tears on his shoulder. His eyes widened and he started at the girl crying on his behalf. Her voice shook with the pain he was too afraid to show. That empathy was a trademark of Sky flame users, most notably the Sky Arcobaleno.

"I… can feel your soul crying. It's okay to admit that you're hurting and that you feel broken. You've been fighting alone all this time and you've lost yourself along the way," Yuni spoke with an understanding he felt he didn't deserve. "That doesn't make you a bad person and you shouldn't feel the need to punish yourself. You deserve to be happy for once."

Her words were too wise for someone so young, but it spoke of the ancient knowledge that resided within her and her predecessors. Though well-intended, the words were like acid to his fragile mindset. He promised Giotto he would try and start a new chapter, but _this_? She was asking for the impossible.

Noctis pushed his comforter's arm away gently and stood up without making further eye contact, "Thank you for your hospitality. I'm afraid I have overextended my welcome."

The trio watched as their guest rushed out the door, noting the words that got caught in his throat.

"Don't worry, princess, he'll come around eventually." Gamma placed a reassuring hand on Yuni's shoulder.

She shook her head and sighed, "I hope so… He's just so sad. When I look into his eyes, all I see is lost and despair."

Byakuran plopped seven sugar cubes in his tea while keeping his gaze on the imprint Noctis left on the grass upon his arrival. "You know we can't interfere. The outcome will have to be decided by him." With that he added solemnly, "My other self made that very clear."

Yuni hummed and raised the cup of tea to her lips. "I'm not worried about whether he'll be able to save the world this time. He'd rather die than fail, and that's what I'm afraid of." She paused for a moment and then mused, "I don't think he's even thinking about saving himself."

Frowning, the white-haired man couldn't find it in himself to formulate a reply. She was right and it concerned him —whether he would openly admit it or not— because he actually cared for the man.

 _Tsuna… I really hope you win this time._

* * *

The Giglio Nero residence in Japan was located in the outskirts of Namimori and it took Tsuna longer than what he would have liked to arrive in the town. He ended up hitchhiking with an unsuspecting shop owner. She was on her way back from a delivery and she fell straight into the trap of puppy eyes and a handsome face.

The only downside was having to listen to her ramble on about all her unsuccessful encounters with men. With a timely nod here and hum there, Tsuna was able to zone out for the most part of their one-sided conversation.

"… And here we are! My family has owned this tea shop for five generations. If you're ever around the area, don't be a stranger!"

Tsuna was visibly relieved to be more than a foot away from the lady. "Ahh… thank you Yoko-san! I really appreciate your kindness. I'll be sure to visit once I have some time off! You know how my boss can be…"

As an excuse to why he was stuck in the middle of nowhere, he fed her a story of a naive young man who was taken advantage of by his employers. They had sent him to attend a meeting with one of their stakeholders without a ride back. The false tears added to the effect and soon, she was almost frothing at the mouth at the injustice committed against him.

Once he had left her line of sight, Tsuna dropped the act and picked up the usual burden that rested on his shoulders. The sight of buildings intact and much of the town undeveloped brought up feelings of nostalgia. _It looked just like it did before everything went wrong._

Now that he had some time to process what happened, all the dread and anxiety that was lost in his initial confusion came back with a vengeance.

 _Everyone died. I avenged them and then I died. I'm alive again. Everyone's alive. What now? What do I do? Where do I go? How do I face them? Should I just hide? Do I fix things? I failed. I'm not good enough. I'll just fail them again, and they'll just die over and over again. It's all my fault. Kami, Tsuna why do you have to screw everything up?_

Thoughts like bullet trains sped and crashed into each other in his head. He had no idea with what he was supposed to do with this second chance he was given. There was a disconnect between him and the reality of his world. For all he knew, everyone he loved and everything he was already died.

He was saved from another round of conflicting thoughts when a familiar silver head appeared in his vision. On the other side of the street, walked Gokudera and a younger version of himself. He didn't look as young as Tsuna had originally estimated for this timeline, so he probably wasn't sent to when everything began. No, this version looked to be in his late teens.

The pair was engaged in light conversation and Tsuna quickly ducked behind an alleyway in case either of them caught his stare. Seeing a young and _alive_ Gokudera was all it took to set the resolve in his heart.

He was going to prevent all of them from dying. If the catalyst and reason for everyone's death was himself, he would get rid of the Tsunayoshi Sawada of this world. He owed that to his guardians.

* * *

It was an average day of life for Tsuna. He left the house at 7:30AM and as usual, Gokudera was there to pick him up. It had just been the two of them for a while now, ever since Yamamto's dad… His heart wrenched at the thought but he knew he had to respect his Rain Guardian's choices.

His classes was painstakingly long, as usual, and he continued to struggle despite Reborn's efforts. Horror filled his soul at the thought of a gun pointed to his forward and he smacked himself in an attempt to stay awake. Luckily for him, Reborn had said he was taking a day trip to visit an old friend. He would be back by dinner time but it still gave Tsuna precious hours of peace. A strange sense of foreboding lurked in his mind at the thought, but Tsuna quickly ignored it when it was interrupted by screams of terror in the courtyard.

No one paid any attention since it was a natural occurrence now. Tsuna didn't have to look outside the window to know Hibari was beating up some troublemakers for skipping class. Though he had already graduated, the school president decided it would be a good idea to hire Hibari as a staff member. Whether a tonfa was held to his throat during the decision, Tsuna decided it was as good a guess as any.

His last class of the day was Physical Education. The sight of Ryohei brought a smile to his face, who had volunteered to help out when he wasn't working at the boxing ring. The department head wasn't able to deny the loud man when he showed up to his office and proclaimed his extreme desire to help coach the boys. It turned out to be a great decision as Namimori High became the unlikely underdog in just about every sport in Japan under Ryohei's coaching. His positivity and energy brought out the best in their athletes, and he did everything he was given with 150% effort.

Even Tsuna, who avoided physical activity like the plague, came to eventually tolerate and even enjoy the class. It was a nice feeling when you weren't made fun of or embarrassed in front of the entire class for something you didn't do right.

When the final bell rang, Tsuna took the opportunity to help his Sun Guardian put away the equipment into the storage room and strike up casual conversation. Once they were finished, he waved a good-bye before meeting Gokudera in front of the school gates.

Yamamoto met them there as well, though he did not speak much as they walked. Up ahead, he saw Kyoko and Hana rush to embrace Haru. Much to her displeasure, Haru was unable to convince her parents to go to Namimori High and had to continue attending Midori high. She had to obey her parents' wishes to become a doctor and thus, had to attend the school with the highest rankings in their district.

Though she couldn't attend the same school as the other girls, they made it a habit to meet up everyday after school. Namimori was a small town and it wasn't more than a couple of blocks away. The way they embraced each other now, however, made it seem like they hadn't seen each other in years. _Girls._

They waved to his group before they left in the other direction, no doubt to meet Chrome. He was delighted with how close the girls had become in such a short amount of time. They formed a strong sisterhood and it had helped them overcome the trials they faced being a part of the Vongola famiglia. In banding together, he had seen them all grow into strong young women, so unlike the insecure and air-headed girls he first met.

"What are your plans today, Tsuna?" came the familiar voice of his Rain guardian.

He smiled brightly at Yamamoto, "My mom is making curry tonight! Everyone is coming over at 6:30, will you be there as well?"

The little spark of hope died when Yamamoto smiled sadly, "Maybe next time, Tsuna. I'm going to go practice a little more tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."

The Rain Guardian waved and left as usual, once they reached the intersection that would head towards TakeSushi. Neither of them commented how "next time" had never happened for six months. They continued walking in silence. Gokudera clenched his fists and muttered a few curses under his breath.

To lighten the mood, Tsuna changed the topic and his Storm Guardian took the diversion with gratitude. They chatted easily about their classes and the upcoming visit from Vongola Nono. He was currently in Hong Kong for a business trip and he would be making a stop in Japan to visit Tsuna and his guardians. As Tsuna was getting older, Timoteo had made his visits more frequent and it was obvious that his retirement was drawing closer.

The strange sense of foreboding hit Tsuna again and this time, he was unable to ignore it as his hyper-intuition flared. This was bad. They were walking through an alley in a more isolated part of town. Reborn would have his head if he knew Tsuna failed to notice an enemy presence until it was too late.

"Gokudera, there's someone -"

Before he could finish his sentence, the air was knocked out of his lungs as he was sent flying back into a brick wall. Spots clouded his vision and he reached back to touch the part of his head that got hit the hardest. Blood coated his fingertips.

A yelp caught his attention and he looked up to see Gokudera slumping into the ground. Their attacker, a man dressed in all black with a hood covering his face, picked his Storm Guardian up and held him underneath his right arm like a sack of rice.

"Vongola Decimo." The sound of his name from the man's lips caused a shiver to go down Tsuna's spine. "If you want to see your precious guardian alive, meet me at the abandoned factory by Namimori river. Come alone. If you tell anyone, I will slit his throat before you can even say a word."

With those final words, the man disappeared with Gokudera in a blink of an eye. Tsuna didn't even know someone could move that fast, aside from Fon. That was saying much, to compare the man to the fastest Arcobaleno.

It didn't take long for the threat to register in Tsuna's mind. Orange eyes glowed at the thought of one of his friends being hurt. He was going to save Gokudera.

* * *

Using his flames to propel him to his destination, Tsuna arrived at the entrance of the abandoned factory. His mom had said it used to be a manufacturing plant before an accident broke out and people died. Apparently, the machinery they used broke down and several people were crushed in the process. Since then, no one dared step foot in as myth went around that the place was haunted.

At any other given time, Tsuna would have peed himself at the prospect of entering such a place. Today, that was the least of his worries as the concern for his closest friend toppled all sense of self preservation.

He opened the double-doors leading with a strong shove and the resounding clang echoed throughout the empty facility once they closed behind him. In the middle of the wreckage stood the mysterious man.

"Where is my friend? What did you do with him?" Tsuna asked urgently.

The man did not bother answering, instead choosing to point two guns towards him. Tsuna stiffened and allowed his sky flames to burn brightly through his gloves.

His opponent studied him for a moment before narrowing his eyes, "I returned him to your house. Your mother would have found him by your doorstep by now."

The safety was switched off.

That threw Tsuna off guard. "Huh? Why would you-" He was unable to finish his question as he was now avoiding a bombardment of metal that fired mercilessly.

It was one thing to dodge bullets from Reborn, who did not meant to kill him. It was another thing altogether from someone who did.

There was a delay in a round of gunfire and he soon found a fist aimed right at his face. Even his hyper-intuition could not prepare him for the speed of this man's attacks. "My fight is with you. I had no need to involve anyone else. He was used to lead you out here alone."

Blood gushed from Tsuna's nose and the hit opened a cut above his eyebrow, obscuring his vision with crimson.

A firm hand wrapped around his throat and Tsuna gasped for air as he was slammed against a concrete pillar. Once he felt the cool sensation of a barrel pressed against his forehead, he knew he was done for.

Fire swelled violently around his body in a last-ditch attempt to fight for his life.

"If I don't kill you now, your entire family will die terrible deaths." Tsuna's eyes filled with rage before the man's voice took a softer tone. "It's not going to be me who will kill them. It will be all your fault. If you don't die now… everything you love will be taken away from you. Please… let me protect them."

In that moment, a slight breeze lifted the man's hood and Tsuna made eye contact with glowing amber orbs, gasping at its intensity. For whatever reason, Tsuna felt the man's desperation and found himself letting his flames die in acceptance. He believed those words and would do anything to protect his family. His only regret was not being able to say good-bye to everyone.

 _Everyone, I'm sorry. Please live on._

Tsuna closed his eyes but the shot never came. Instead, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Get away from my student."

Reborn? He shouldn't be back for another hour. Even still, Reborn was too far away to stop the gunshot in time. It hurt him deeply knowing that Reborn would have to watch as his brains were blown off in front of him.

He indulged a glance at his attacker but was dumbfounded with what he saw. Those golden eyes were frozen in… _was that shock?_ There were so many emotions being relayed that it left Tsuna breathless. The faint tremor of the gun pressed to his head was not unnoticed.

It would have been easy to kill him before Reborn reached them, but why didn't he? He wondered that when the gun was knocked out of the man's hand in a carefully placed shot.

There was still time before Reborn crossed the distance between them. Even without a gun, the man had proven more than capable to kill him with his bare hands. Why didn't he? Instead, he just stood frozen like someone had turned the off switch on his body.

He had every opportunity to avoid the kick that was aimed towards him, but again _he didn't_. Though it didn't send him flying like it would to any other ordinary person, the man staggered back a few steps until he was out of Tsuna's reach.

Reborn now stood protectively in front of Tsuna, acting as a barrier between him and the mysterious man.

The impact of the kick did do one thing, he realized, when the force blew back the hood covering his face.

 _Holy crap._

It was like staring straight into a mirror. However, upon a closer second glance, this man resembled Giotto more than it did himself.

His wild locks were lighter than his own, though not quite the blond Giotto was known for. If Tsuna was a milk chocolate type of brown, this man was a light, melted caramel. In the bits of light that shone from where the ceiling had collapsed, it appeared even lighter.

Most of all, what separated them were his eyes. Tsuna had brown doe-eyes that held every bit of compassion and acceptance he was known for. This man's eyes were a cold, predatory gold. It was like looking into the eyes of a ravenous lion or snake.

The resemblance was not lost on Reborn, who stiffened.

"Who are you?"

His look-a-like, now broken out of the spell he was trapped in earlier, made a move towards his side. _He was reaching for another gun._

Reborn, having the advantage of already drawn his weapon, prepared to shoot.

What happened next could not be explained by Tsuna. Every fibre of his being was filled with horror and dread at seeing his tutor preparing to kill this man. It made no sense why he felt such a strong objection towards the man's death, despite the feeling not being reciprocated.

"Reborn, don't kill him! He… He's just scared!"

His tutor merely scoffed. "Don't be an idiot, Tsuna."

It all happened so fast. With an urgency that was not understood by him, Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut and shouted with all of his might, "Stop!"

Before he knew it, his feet were moving. _What was he trying to do? Jump into the crossfire in hopes that would improve the situation?_ Tsuna vaguely remembered the sound of a gunshot and bullets hitting metal.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Reborn had his gun titled towards away from him, where he was forced to divert his trajectory or risk the chance of killing his own student. The furious gaze of his tutor was something that sent shivers down his spine, but he did not for a second regret what he did. _No, something within him screamed to keep this man safe._

His look-a-like merely regarded him with a look of curiosity, head tilted to the side as he pinned Tsuna down under his scrutiny.

After a moment, a soft voice carried over the silence.

"Noctis."

"What?" The man shifted his attention back to Reborn. If Tsuna wasn't mistaken, he would have thought those eyes looked a bit sorrowful.

"My name… you had asked. Call me Noctis."

Reborn's eyes narrowed but he acknowledged the new piece of information about their mysterious attacker. With that, Noctis turned his back on them and started walking away.

"I'll be back for you, Vongola Decimo. The next time we meet, I will take what I desire."

Noctis stretched out his hand and before Tsuna could protest or Reborn could stop him, tendrils of smoke emerged from his fingertips and covered the entire room. Of course, Tsuna would think it was an appropriate moment to exclaim his surprise and simultaneously breathe in a waft of smoke into his lungs. He succumbed to a coughing fit and as the smoke began to clear up, the room was empty save for him and Reborn. His tutor had - _was that a gas mask on his face? Where did he-_

He shouldn't even be surprised. The hitman had peculiarities and if he had a shape-shifting chameleon with him, then what was to say Leon couldn't shift into a gas mask in the nick of time?

"You have 10 seconds to explain yourself, Baka-Tsuna."

Tsuna sweat-dropped and backed away slowly. That tone was reserved for when Tsuna screwed up big time. He doubted he would be able to go home before he ran around Namimori at least fifteen times.

 _This was the worst day ever._

* * *

 **End Note:**

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!


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